- Hemimacronyx chloris
Anthus chloris
Identification
Length 16-18 cm, 25 g
Breeding adult: Similar to the common African Pipit, but with a pale face and lemon-yellow underparts. Upperparts buffy brown, spotted and streaked with dark brown. The eyebrows and outer tail are white, and the yellow breast is lightly streaked black.
Non-breeding adult: Pale buffy brown below, with central belly yellowish.
Distribution
Locally common altitudinal migrant of the montane (>1800 m) grassland of the Stormberg and Drakensberg escarpments of southeastern South Africa and Lesotho, migrating to lower altitudes in winter.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Placed in genus Anthus by some authorities.
Habitat
Montane grassland when breeding and lowland grassland and bushveld when not breeding.
Behaviour
Solitary or in pairs when breeding; otherwise in small flocks.
Diet
Forages on the ground for insects. Flushes reluctantly, preferring to remain behind cover on the ground when disturbed.
Breeding
November to January. Nests are well-hidden under grass tufts; they are cups of dry grass lined with rootlets. Three eggs are laid.
Males sing in display flights or from a perch.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2021) Yellow-breasted Pipit. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 February 2021 from https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/Yellow-breasted_Pipit
